20th September 2019
"On this day, 100 Years Ago, Cray Valley Paper Mills FC played its first ever match, a 1-0 victory against Hamilton House. The mills may have long gone, closing in 1981 but the football club remains. Now based in Eltham, we are celebrating our Centenary with a Legends match this Sunday. It would be great to see you!"

Picture above courtesy of Alan Coombes: The Millers Legends in the Centenary game v Charlton Players flanked by past managers Mark Edwards (back row) and Steve Chapman (front row).

Photos: See link below
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/photos/centenery-legends-match-22919-914346.html

Photos: Courtesy of Alan Coombes
https://www.facebook.com/AlanCoomesFootballPhotography/photos/pcb.1204655676385178/1204669519717127

Steve Chapman joint manager Cray Valley (PM) Legends programme notes and player pen pics.

"A warm welcome to Badgers today for our Centenary Celebrations on what I'm sure will be a memorable occasion. A massive thank you goes out to Millers and Addicks legend Kevin Lisbie and Keith Peacock for assembling a group of household names to form the Charlton squad. The last Legends game some 8 years ago ended 2-2 and looking at the number of ex-Premier League players on show today, I'd be happy with a similar result today.

Well who in their wildest dreams would have predicted the events of the last 12 months? Not only did we make it to Wembley Stadium to contest the FA Vase final, we achieved our main target of winning the League and gaining promotion to the Isthmian League for the first time in our 100 year history. A truly magnificent achievement with so many memorable moments throughout the season. It was great to see and re-connect with so many ex- Cray Valley players during our Vase run and that prompted the idea for today's Legends game.

As many of you know, I've been involved with Cray since 1981 - yes, almost 40 years - so I'm extremely proud of not only the extent we have progressed since our nomadic years without a ground when in the South London Alliance, but the fact that we are now an established and widely respected club. There is perhaps a fact that no one rarely mentions (or knows) and that is throughout the journey through the Spartan, London Intermediate, Kent County and Kent leagues, the first team has never been relegated!

There are too many individuals to thank specifically but there are some obvious ones. Without Mac's and Cemil's continuous commitment we certainly wouldn't be where we are toady. I was honoured to be the Millers manager for the first three years when we gained promotion to the Kent League (latterly re-badged as the Southern Counties East Football League) and I won't forget the support I received from Doug Francis. And last, but not least, my joint manager today, Mark (Eddy) Edwards. Many of today's squad played for Eddy during his 10 years as manager in a period when we won so many trophies and really established ourselves as a force to be reckoned with.

That's all from me so just enjoy the day - I'm confident that I will!"

Player pen pics - Cray Valley (PM) Legends

Stewart Back: Goalkeeper - It seems like Stewart played for ever and was rewarded with a testimonial - the last time we played Charlton Vets! In addition to winning a plethora of medals he holds the record for the number of representative games for the London FA.
Link to past player legends featuring players with over 100 appearances.
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/a/player-legends-61002.html?page=14

Ben Healy - Defender - Pav, as he is affectionately known, was also part of the team that gained promotion to the Kent League in 2011/12, comfortably making the step up. Reliable attacking full back.
Link to past player legends featuring players with over 100 appearances.
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/a/player-legends-61002.html?page=13

Tommy Osborne: - Defender - Oz is still player / coach who is coming to the end of a distinguished career. He started at Gillingham and was a member of our FA Vase team that played at Wembley last season.

Jason Deveau - Defender - started his career as a winger but eventually ended up at left back. Great left foot and a regular in Mark Edwards' successful team in the Kent County League.

Paul Gross - Defender - Signed from VCD, Grossy went on to coach and manage the 1st team. A versatile player that can be equally effective up front as well as centre back.

Tommy Martin - Defender - Tommy played in the team that gained promotion to the Kent League. Winner of the London Cup that season where he was an outstanding no nonsense centre back.

Jason Dolby - Midfield - the enigma that is Jason Dolby! Brilliant one week, sent off the next. On his day there was no better centre midfielder.

Paul Springett - Midfield - Much travelled midfielder signed by Willie O'Sullivan in 2009, Captained the Millers to 2 London Cups in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Jamie Wood - Midfield - Signed from the Erith & Belvedere side that won the Kent League. Also played fro Cray Wanderers. Captained the Millers and helped consolidate our position in the SCEFL.

Matt Knuckey - Forward - A true Cray Legend. Played for over a decade and top scorer in most seasons. His partnership with Paul 'Badger" Kenney was legendary. Scored both goals in the previous Legends game - which was also his testimonial.
Link to past player legends featuring players with over 100 appearances.
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/a/player-legends-61002.html?page=10

Dean Flood - Forward - Floody also partnered Matty up front and his contribution was recognised when he was selected for the League representative team. Top scorer 3 seasons running between 2005-08.
Link to past player legends featuring players with over 100 appearances.
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/a/player-legends-61002.html?page=13

Michael Dill - Goalkeeper - Unlucky to be Stewart Back's deputy but a regular in the Reserves. Dilly excels as a five-a-side keeper and played in the same side as Paul Semakula that won the national cup.

Darren Corpe - Defender - Steady full back that forced his way into the treble winning team in our Kent County era.

Lewis Wood - Forward - Our fox in the box. Only retired a few years ago so should trouble that aged Charlton defence!

Stephen Hills - Defender - Solid central defender that progressed from the Youth Team. Would have made more 1st team appearances but played at a time when competition for places was tough.

Marc Peters - Midfield - More of a legend for his 'off the field' antics! Stylish centre midfielder and another that played between 2001 - 2007 winning numerous trophies.

Billy Dolby - Defender - Outstanding centre back who rarely missed a game when he played.

Jamie McAnallen - Defender - Reliable centre back and captain of the Reserves when we won the Hospitals Cup.

Barry Putt - Defender - Putty played at left-back between 2004-2007. Another championship winner!

Colin Chapman - Defender - Comfortable at left back or left midfield who played back in the days when the Millers played in the London Intermediate League.

Steve Payne - Forward - Joined us in the twilight of his career and helped our youngsters develop in the Reserves. A regular in the infamous dream team.

Darren Leach - Defender - Another left back who played under Mark Edwards.

Derek Oldfield - Forward - We are reminded regularly that Del was a member of the championship winning side in 2004/05 and scorer of one of our goals in the cup final. Defected to Phoenix Sports.

Tony Bishop - Midfield - Bish, the python - I've never known anyone have so man nicknames! Centre midfield or centre back, you would rather play with him than against him.

Paul Kemp - Midfield - Kempy could moan for England. Played for almost his entire career and claims he is second in the record for number of appearances for the club - behind todays's Manager!

Lee Ward - Forward - Larger than life now half the size. Very intelligent player who always troubled defences.

Match Report:
Matchday
A great afternoon of entertainment today at Badgers as the Charlton Athletic Legends claim a 6-5 win over the Millers, for whom Matt Knuckey scores 4 of the home sides goals!
Charlton’s veterans got off to a great start in their first game since reforming, beating a Cray Valley PM Legends XI at Badgers Sports Ground on Sunday.
The charity match was put on to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the non-League club, with a percentage of proceeds going to Prostate Cancer UK.
Jon Fortune, Grant Basey, Peter Garland, Jason Euell, Johnnie Jackson, Kevin Lisbie, Marcus Bent and Paul Hayes all started the match with Chris Powell overseeing matters on the touchline and it was the Addicks old boys who go their side off to a flyer with Lisbie rolling back the years with a superb lob after 13 minutes to put Charlton one up.
Matt Knuckey equalised for the hosts, but Bent put the visitors back in front almost immediately on 27 minutes with a fine finish into the top right-hand corner, before Jackson sent a calm finish into the bottom corner from Hayes’ pull-back six minutes later to make it 3-1.
It suddenly became the Lisbie show before half-time when his 15-year-old twin sons came off the bench to get in on the act – Kyreel cut inside from the left before finishing brilliantly in the 35th minute, reminiscent of some of the goals his father got for the Addicks, before he was brought down for a penalty three minutes later. He handed the ball over to his brother Kyreece who confidently put his penalty away, in off the crossbar.
A Knuckey penalty reduced the arrears for Cray Valley just before half-time making it 5-2 at the break and the home side would rally after the restart, threatening an impressive comeback.
Del Oldfield made it 5-3 six minutes after the restart, before a defensive lapse allowed a cross to trickle through to Knuckey at the far post to complete his hat-trick and reduce Charlton’s lead to just one goal with 20 minutes remaining.
But Kevin George resored a bit of breathing room for the Addicks in the 76th minute when he finished into an empty net after Euell’s initial effort had come back off the inside of the post.
There was still time for the prolific Knuckey to score one more for the hosts with three minutes left on the clock to set up a nervy last few minutes for Powell’s men, but they held on as the Former Player Associations’ new-look vets celebrated their first win.
An official crowd of 364 ensured that plenty of money was raised for a good cause and it is hoped that more fixtures will be arranged in the coming months.
Massive thanks to everyone who came along today!
Come On You Millers
Report courtesy of www.cafc.co.uk
22nd September 2019

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